Abstract
BACKGROUND Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8 THC) is an isomer of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9 THC), the primary psychoactive cannabinoid in the marijuana plant. Typically found at lower concentrations in marijuana, delta-8 THC exhibits psychoactive properties similar to delta-9 THC. Products containing delta-8 THC are readily available across the US and currently there is a lack of available confirmatory testing specific to delta-8 THC as there is cross-reactivity to other naturally occurring cannabinoids in standard immunoassays. Pediatric exposures to this substance are on the rise.
CASE REPORT We present a case with laboratory confirmation of a previously healthy 2-year-old girl ingesting approximately 15 mg/kg of delta-8 THC gummies. The patient arrived minimally responsive and requiring intubation for encephalopathy. Laboratory confirmation of delta-8 THC exposure is not routinely available with common testing modalities. A urine drug screen preformed in the hospital was positive for delta-9 THC. With the collaboration of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Toxicology Testing Program, detection and confirmation of delta-8 THC was performed in the serum and urine using liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of delta-8 THC-containing products in the illicit drug market is increasing rapidly. Delta-8 THC products are now available in gas stations and in headshops. The clinical presentation of delta-8 THC exposure is similar to known effects of delta-9 THC exposure. These similarities limit the clinicians' abilities to determine the specific substance ingested. Symptomatic and supportive care remains an effective treatment for cannabinoid toxicity.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-11-2021
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.12659/ajcr.933488
Funding Information
This research was supported by Grant or Cooperative Agreement number 1 NU17CE924971-01-00, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and contract number 15DDHQ19F0000086, funded by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Repository Citation
Akpunonu, Peter; Baum, Regan A.; Reckers, Andrew; Davidson, Blake; Ellison, Ross; Riley, Matthew; Trecki, Jordan; and Gerona, Roy, "Sedation and Acute Encephalopathy in a Pediatric Patient Following Ingestion of Delta-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol Gummies" (2021). Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications. 10.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/emergency_facpub/10
Notes/Citation Information
Published in American Journal of Case Reports, v. 22, e933488.
© Am J Case Rep, 2021
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